AFI PROJECT: 20/20
AFI PROJECT: 20/20 is an American Film Institute (AFI) international initiative designed to enhance cultural exchange, understanding and collaboration through filmmakers and their films from the U.S. and abroad. It is an unprecedented cultural diplomacy effort that is supported by the U.S.’s cultural agencies – National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. Through workshops, seminars and appearances at film festivals, cultural centers, museums and educational venues, PROJECT: 20/20 Filmmakers will promote mutual understanding while nurturing filmmaking excellence. 2009 AFI PROJECT: 20/20 introduces a multicultural roster of films signifying a universal perspective that challenges us to examine, reflect and celebrate diversity.
Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo, First of All, Felicia, Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench, Icons Among Us, London River, Room and a Half

Anheuser-Busch African/African-American Sidebar
Sponsored by Anheuser-Busch
Films from Africa and movies that relate to the black experience in the U.S. and the world.
The Choir, Chops, Icons Among Us, Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench, London River, Munyurangabo, Precious, Pressure Cooker, The Rink, RiseUp, Rough Aunties, Say My Name, Sleepwalking Land, Within Our Gates, Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love

Animation Sidebar
A survey of contemporary and classic animation.
Egon & Donci, The Hollywood Cartoon (with Michael Barrier), Mia and the Migoo, Princess of the Sun, Shorts Program 2, Shorts Program 7

Archival Presentations
A sampling of classic cinematic works.
The Adventures of Robin Hood, Once Upon a Time in the West, Ride With the Devil: Director’s Cut, Robin Hood (restored silent short), Within Our Gates

Argentinian Sidebar
Works from the cinematic hotspot of Argentina.
The Headless Woman, Liverpool, Possible Lives, XXY

Art and Music Sidebar
Sponsored by Ken and Nancy Kranzberg
Movies exploring the world of art or featuring music.
Almost a Legend (in Documentary Shorts: Individuals), The Amazing Oscar Micheaux Concert, Branson, The Choir, Chops, Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench, Icons Among Us: Jazz in the Present Tense, Margarette’s Feast, Old Dog New Trick (with The Pride of St. Louis), RiseUp, Saint Misbehavin’, Say My Name, Steve Scorfina/Danny Liston Concert, Waiting for Hockney, Within Our Gates, Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love

Asian Sidebar
Works from the continent of Asia.
24 City, Adela, Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo, The Drummer, Operation Babylift, The Photograph, Tahaan, Those Three

Bosnian Sidebar
Co-curated by Dr. Rita Csapo-Sweet
An overview of contemporary Bosnian cinema.
Edward Serotta Program, Faruk Sabanovic Program, Grbavica, Snow, Storm

British Isles Sidebar
A sterling selection of films from Ireland and England.
The Eclipse, An Education, Helen, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, London River, The Young Victoria

Cinema for Students
Sponsored by the St. Louis Rams
Free daytime screenings for children and teens from participating St. Louis-area schools.
Click here for a letter to educators about Cinema for Students.
Click here for a full list of films, synopses and grade-level suggestions.
Click here for a reservation form.
Against the Tide, The Choir, Convention, In 500 Words or Less, Mia and the Migoo, The Only Good Indian, The Prep School Negro, Pressure Cooker, Sam Steele and the Junior Detective Agency, Tahaan, Tapped, Teo’s Journey, Tom Sawyer, The Wonder of It All

Eastern European Sidebar
A selection of feature films from Eastern Europe.
First of All, Felicia, Grbavica, Hooked, I Am From Titov Veles, The Power of the Powerless, René, Snow, Song From the Southern Seas

Environmental Sidebar
Films that explore issues concerning nature, conservation and the environment.
Crude, Mia and the Migoo, Tapped

Ethnic-Profiling Sidebar
Sponsored by the Center for the Study of Ethics and Human Values at Washington University
Films that speak to ethnic-profiling issues in the U.S.
9500 Liberty, Amreeka, The Only Good Indian, Within Our Gates

Family Sidebar
Programs for children of all ages.
Egon & Donci, Family Shorts Program, The Hollywood Cartoon, Mia and the Migoo, Princess of the Sun, Sam Steele and the Junior Detective Agency, Tahaan, Teo’s Journey

Film Noir/Crime Thriller Sidebar
A diverse array of American and international thrillers and noirs.
2:22, Cat City, Desdemona: A Love Story, The Drummer, Formosa Betrayed, The Headless Woman, Helen, Jerichow, The Missing Person, My Time Will Come, Possible Lives, Stolen Lives, Terribly Happy, Under Still Waters, What a Wonderful World, Yella

French Sidebar
Sponsored by Cultural Services of the French Embassy, Chicago
A selection of films from France.
35 Shots of Rum, The Beaches of Agnes, Dernier Maquis, Mia and the Migoo, One Day You’ll Understand, Princess of the Sun

German Sidebar
Sponsored by St. Louis-Stuttgart Sister Cities
A selection of films from Germany.
Cloud 9, Jerichow, North Face, Storm, Yella

Global Lens 2009
An annual series that presents the best of developing world cinema on screens throughout the United States, with a particular focus on films in languages other than English. Global Lens is a project of the Global Film Initiative, which promotes cross-cultural understanding through the medium of cinema.
I Am From Titov Veles, Margarette’s Feast, Mutum, My Time Will Come, The Photograph, Possible Lives, Sleepwalking Land, Song From the Southern Seas, Those Three, What a Wonderful World

Hollywood Spotlight Sidebar
Major films garnering award-season buzz.
An Education, Everybody’s Fine, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, Me and Orson Welles, Precious, Up in the Air, The Young Victoria, Youth in Revolt

Horror Sidebar
A trio of horror films screened on Friday the 13th.
Albino Farm, Blackspot, Edgar Allan Poe’s Ligeia

Interfaith Sidebar
A juried competition spotlighting 10 films – five fiction features and five documentaries – distinguished by their artistic merit, contribution to the understanding of the human condition, and recognition of ethical, social and spiritual values.
Documentaries: 9500 Liberty, The Brothers Warner, The Choir, Rough Aunties, Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love
The Interfaith committee also recommends: Against the Tide, Soldiers of Peace
Narrative Features: The Drummer, For My Father, Laila’s Birthday, North Face, XXY
The Interfaith committee also recommends: One Day You’ll Understand, Snow, Storm, Terribly Happy

International Film Sidebar
Narrative and documentary feature films from across the globe. Audience voting determines the winner of Best International Feature Film.
Argentina: The Headless Woman, Liverpool, Possible Lives, XXY
Australia: Soldiers of Peace
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Grbavica, Snow
Brazil: Margarette’s Feast, Mutum
Canada: 2:22, West of Pluto
China: 24 City, The Drummer, From Somewhere to Nowhere
Czech Republic: The Power of the Powerless, René
Denmark: Terribly Happy
Ecuador: My Time Will Come
France: 35 Shots of Rum, The Beaches of Agnes, Dernier Maquis, One Day You’ll Understand, Princess of the Sun
Germany: Cloud 9, Jerichow, North Face, Storm, Yella
Hungary: Egon & Donci
India: Tahaan: A Boy With a Grenade
Indonesia: The Photograph
Iran: Those Three
Ireland: The Eclipse
Israel: Cohen on the Bridge (Documentary Shorts: Individuals), For My Father
Jamaica: RiseUp
Japan: Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo
Kazakhstan: Song From the Southern Seas
Macedonia: I Am From Titov Veles
Mexico: Lake Tahoe, Teo’s Journey
Morocco: What a Wonderful World
Mozambique: Sleepwalking Land
Netherlands: Dunya & Desie
New Zealand: Blackspot
Palestine: Laila’s Birthday
Philippines: Adela
Romania: First of All, Felicia, Hooked
Rwanda: Munyurangabo
Senegal: Yossou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love
South Africa: The Choir, Rough Aunties
Sweden: Ciao Bella
Switzerland: Marcello Marcello
Taiwan: Formosa Betrayed
Turkey: Three Monkeys
United Kingdom: An Education, Helen, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, London River, The Young Victoria
Uruguay: Gigante
Vietnam: Operation Babylift

Jewish Sidebar
A selection of films about the Jewish experience.
Against the Tide, Cohen on the Bridge (Documentary Shorts: Individuals), For My Father, One Day You’ll Understand

Leon and Mary Strauss Documentary Sidebar
Sponsored by Mary Strauss
Co-curated by Brian Woodman
The best in contemporary nonfiction filmmaking. Audience voting determines the winner of the Leon Award for Best Documentary.
9500 Liberty, Against the Tide, The Beaches of Agnes, Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo, Branson, The Brothers Warner, Burma VJ, The Choir, Chops, Convention, Crude, Edie & Thea, For the Love of Movies, Forbidden Lie$, Forgetting Dad, From Somewhere to Nowhere, The Gigantic World of Epics, Icons Among Us, In 500 Words or Less, Mine, October Country, Old Dog, New Trick, Operation Babylift, The Peaceable Kingdom, Playground, Pop Star on Ice, The Power of the Powerless, Pressure Cooker, Prodigal Sons, René, The Rink, RiseUp, Rough Aunties, Saint Misbehavin’, Say My Name, See What I’m Saying, Severe Clear, Soldiers of Peace, Tapped, Waiting for Hockney, The Way We Get By, We Live in Public, William Kuntsler: Disturbing the Universe, The Wonder of It All, Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love

Metromix American Independent Sidebar
Sponsored by Metromix
The best of current American indies.
2:22, Amreeka, Beeswax, Bollywood Beats, Cat City, Desdemona: A Love Story, Drool, Formosa Betrayed, Jolene, The Missing Person, Munyurangabo, The Only Good Indian, Saving Grace B. Jones, Stolen Lives, Touching Home, You Won’t Miss Me

New Filmmakers Forum
Co-curated by Bobbie Lautenschlager
Juried competition of works by first-time feature filmmakers.
How I Got Lost, Made in China, Spooner, St. Nick, Under Still Waters

QFest LGBTQ Sidebar
Films dealing with LGBTQ issues.
Drool, Edie & Thea, Pop Star on Ice, Prodigal Sons, XXY

Shorts Sidebar
A juried competition – awarding prizes in seven categories – featuring more than 130 works, including shorts before features and dedicated shorts programs. SLIFF’s shorts programming is officially sanctioned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Documentary Shorts: Communities, Documentary Shorts: Individuals, Documentary Shorts: Sports, Family Shorts, The Hollywood Cartoon, St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase Programs 1 and 2, Shorts Before Features, Shorts Programs 1-7

Show-Me Cinema Sidebar
Films with strong Missouri connections, most of which were shot primarily in St. Louis or the state.
Albino Farm, Almost a Legend (in Documentary Shorts: Individuals), Branson, Cat City, Convention, Edgar Allan Poe’s Ligeia, Game of the Year, How I Got Lost, Just Shy of Being, Old Dog, New Trick (with The Pride of St. Louis), Ride With the Devil: Director’s Cut, The Rink, Saving Grace B. Jones, Up in the Air, Under Still Waters

Spanish-Language Sidebar
Films from Spanish-speaking countries.
Gigante, The Headless Woman, Lake Tahoe, Liverpool, My Time Will Come, Possible Lives, Teo’s Journey, XXY

True/False Sidebar
Documentaries chosen in conjunction with the True/False Film Festival in Columbia, Mo.
Burma VJ, Convention, Crude, Forbidden Lie$, Forgetting Dad, October Country, Pressure Cooker, Prodigal Sons, RiseUp, Rough Aunties, The Way We Get By, We Live in Public

Women in Film Sidebar
Films that were made by women or that address women’s issues.
35 Shots of Rum, 9500 Liberty, Amreeka, The Beaches of Agnes, Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo, The Brothers Warner, Drool, Dunya & Desie, Edie & Thea, An Education, First of All, Felicia, Forbidden Lie$, Grbavica, The Headless Woman, I Am From Titov Veles, In 500 Words or Less, Made in China, Mine, Mutum, Operation Babylift, The Peaceable Kingdom, The Photograph, Playground, Possible Lives, Pressure Cooker, Prodigal Sons, René, Rough Aunties, Sleepwalking Land, Saving Grace B. Jones, Saint Misbehavin’, Say My Name, See What I’m Saying, Snow, Tapped, Under Still Waters, Waiting for Hockney, We Live in Public, West of Pluto, William Kuntsler: Disturbing the Universe, XXY, You Won’t Miss Me, Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love